UNC basketball can claim at least a share of the ACC regular-season championship with a win against Notre Dame this week.

Entering Tuesday’s game (7 p.m., ACC Network) against Notre Dame (12-17, 7-11 ACC) at the Dean E. Smith Center, the Tar Heels (23-6, 15-3 ACC) are one game ahead of rival Duke (23-6, 14-4) in the league standings.

UNC is 8-1 against the Fighting Irish in Chapel Hill, including five wins in a row since 2015.

Here’s a look at some other things to know and a score prediction for the Tar Heels final home game of the season.

Notre Dame’s defense capable of creating chaos

Under first-year coach Micah Shrewsberry, the Fighting Irish have limited 15 of 18 ACC opponents to 70 points or fewer. Notre Dame is 25th nationally in defensive efficiency, according to KenPom.com. With that elite defensive effort, the Irish have won five of their last six games, including back-to-back wins against Wake Forest and Clemson. UNC needs to show up ready for a rock fight.

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Cormac Ryan’s first game against Notre Dame

Cormac Ryan’s final home game as a Tar Heel will be his first game against his former team. A team captain and near-1,000-point scorer in three seasons at Notre Dame, Ryan is averaging 10.7 points and 2.9 rebounds as a starter at UNC. After scoring 12 points on 4-for-16 shooting across the last two games, Ryan feels due for a breakout performance. UNC needs Ryan to make shots in order to maximize its potential in March.

This is (really) it for Armando Bacot

Armando Bacot, who made his UNC debut against Notre Dame in 2019, will be playing his final home game as a Tar Heel on Tuesday night. The fifth-year center averaged 18.5 points and 12 rebounds in two wins against the Fighting Irish last season. This season, Bacot is averaging 14 points and 10.3 rebounds per game.

UNC vs. Notre Dame score prediction

UNC 70, Notre Dame 56: This game likely won’t pass the eye test, but these grind-it-out performances are required in March. If the Tar Heels can match Notre Dame’s defensive intensity, UNC will have enough offense to overcome what could be a slog until the final buzzer.

Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: UNC basketball vs. Notre Dame: Score prediction, scouting report